Combined abdominal supporter and suspensory.



w. H. FoRc. COMBINED ABDONIINAL SUPPORTER AND SUSPENSORY.

APPLICATION FILED IULYZG. ISIS.

1 ,206,25, Patented Nov. 28, r1916.

WILLIAM R. FORCE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

'Y COMBINED BDOMINL SUPPORTER AND SUSPENSORY.

Leonesa.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. 28, 1916..

Application led July 26, 1916. Serial No. 111,401.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. FORCE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, lState of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Combined' Abdominal Supporter and Suspensory, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention consists of a novel construction of a combined abdominal supporter and suspensory wherein I combine in afsingle appliance, means not only for effectively supporting and embracing the abdomen but also means for effectively supporting the scrotum and its contents, whereby l not only prevent undue weight or dragging upon the spel-matic cord but also effectively isolate the organs supported from the adjoining parts of the wearers person, since the parts supported are held well away from the wearers legs and not constricted and held against; the wearers person.

To the above ends, my invention consists of the novel construction of a combined abdominal supporter and suspensory hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawing one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same will be found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged andnrganized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalitics as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a com ined abdominal supporter and suspen-v sory, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section Aon line 2-2 Fig. 1, on a reduced scale. Fig. 3 represents substantially a section on line 3-3 Fig. 1, with the parts in the position they-assume when in use.

Similar numeralsl of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawing, 1 'designates my novel construction of combined abdominal support and suspensory, the same comprising the body portion 2 preferably made l of khaki or similar tough yet pliable and washable material which has the binding 3 at the top thereof, a similar binding 18 at the bottom thereof and the rear inner and outer reinforcing strips 4 and 5 and the two side inner and outer reinforcing strips 6 and 7, which are preferably Asecured to the body 2 by rows of zig-zag stitching, as will be understood from F i'gs.- 1 and 3. The bottom 8 which forms a continuation of the back or rear portion '9 of the supporter, is narrowed as will be understood vfrom F 1 and 2, and so constructed as to it the crotch of the user, whose thighs pass through the openings 10, said bottom 8 being joined to the front pocket, sack or pouch-shaped portion 11, adapted to receive the organs of the wearer.

It; will be apparent that the leg or thigh openings 10 are cut suiliciently high so that. a band like structure is produced at the body of the garment, which is ofsuicient area to substantially encompass the abdomen from the upper to the lower portion thereof, so that when the lacing devices'hereafter referred to are tightened or drawn up to the desired extent, the desired compression or support of the abdomen is effectively provided for.

The front of the supporter is composed of the juxtaposed iiaps 12, having the eyelets 13 which are reinforced by stitching instead of the metal eyelets' commonly employed, said iiaps having the U-shaped opening 14 between them and being by the lacing cord 15.

16 designates a Hap which is secured at one edge 17 to the inner front portion of the supporter and which extends preferably to near the inner bottom portion of the sack vor pocket 11, as will be understood from Fig. 8.

The manner of using my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, since after the supporter has been donned, it can be laced suiiiciently tight, to support the abdomen, while the scrotum and testes are placed inthe sack or pocket 11, which receives the same comfortably.

It will be seen that the scrotum and its `contents will be effectively supported and there will be no dragging or undue weight upon the spermatic cord, and the organs will be not only supported but isolated somewhat from the adjoining parts of the wearers person, being held well away from the held 1n juxtaposition v heldsclosel against the person of the wearer.

It will urther be seen that there will be a substantiallyequal yielding pressure erted by my novel device upon all the parts of the person with which it contacts, so that it will aEord adequate support thereto without an uncomfortable constriction of the same without regard to motions or positions that may be assumed by the wearer of the l improvement.

It will be understood from the foregoing that my invention is particularly adapted for athletics, such as base ball, foot ball, basket ball, golf and tennis players, or the like, since provision is made not only for the proper support and retention of the abdomen, but also for the comfortable support of the scrotum and testes.

By the provision of the lacing device and the stitched eyelets it will be seen that there are no metal parts to abrade the body and that furthermore the device can be readily removed and washed after each use if desired.

I am aware of the constructions seen in the patents to Cooper No. 366,931, Bullock No. 816,963 and Carter No. 1,006,1132, all of which show appliances for supporting organs of the wearer in combination with an undergarment, but my invention is differentiated from the foregoing in the particulars hereinbefore described, and for the further reason that I have made positive supporting of the abdomen by reason of the provision of the lacing devices which when, the device is in position extend from the upper to the lower portion of the abdomen and provide a firm but sufficiently yielding support therefor.

It will be understood that the upper and lower binder strips 3 and 18 give a finished appearance to the article and while the manner of connecting the narrowed crotch member 8 with the sack 11 may be varied, I preferably connect said crotch member 8 with the terminus of the sack member at about the point 19 and reinforce the point of junction with a reinforcing strip 20. The sack 11 is preferably reinforced by the transverse strip 21 and the strip 22 extending at right angles thereto, said reinforcing strips being secured by a suitable line of stitching, as will be apparent from Fig. 1.

By the employment of the rear reinforcing strips 4 and 5 and the side reinforcing strips 6 and 7 not only is the appliance reinforced to the desired extent but said reinforcing strips also assist to holdthe appliprovision for aance in an upright position substantially as seen in Figs. 1 and 3.

It will be understood that if desired the binding 3 may be continued down the edges of the flaps 12, as indicated at 28, and that various other changes in the manner of assembling and uniting the dierent members of the supporter may be made by those skilled in the art which will come within `the scope of my invention.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful combined abdominal supporter and suspensory which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention Vand the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which will be found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modication in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a combined abdominal supporter and suspensory, a body composed of a washable and pliable band like portion adapted to support and compress the abdomen of the wearer, the, front of said body 'having an opening extending downwardly from the upper edge and the edges of the body adjacent the opening having stitched eyelets therein, a lacing cord engaging said eyelets, a sack at the front of said supporter below said lacing devices, upright and transverse reinforcing strips for said sack, and a narrowed bottom member extending from the rear of said supporter to the bottom of said sack.

2. In a combined abdominal supporter and suspensory, a body composed of a bandlike portion adapted to support and compress the abdomen of the wearer, the front of said body having an opening extending downwardly from the upper edge and the edges of the body adjacent the opening being provided with fastening devices, a sack at the front of the supporter below said fastening devices, and a narrowed bottom member extending from the rear of said supporter to the bottom of said sack.

WILLIAM R. FORGE.

Witnesses: y n

E. IIAYWARD FAIRBANKS, C. A. MCVAY. 

